Jack Lew not a fan of IRS planting question

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said he was not aware the IRS planned to plant a question at a conference earlier this month to break news the agency had targeted conservative groups, but it’s not a strategy he would have supported.

Lew acknowledged at a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Tuesday that there were some staff-level discussions between Treasury and IRS over this plan but that “it was the discretion of the IRS how to manage this matter.”

Former IRS chief 'dismayed'

News that the IRS had improperly scrutinized conservative groups seeking a tax exemption came to light on May 10 when Lois Lerner, director of the IRS tax-exempt division, answered a question on the topic at an American Bar Association conference. The IRS later admitted it arranged to have the question asked.

Lew reiterated that he was first told the IRS inspector general was investigating whether conservative groups were being improperly scrutinized in mid-March, but that he did not learn the results until the news broke on May 10.

The Treasury secretary also told the panel he is not aware of any actions by the department that would have interfered with the inspector general’s investigation.

Lew said that when he was informed it was being conducted, he offered the inspector general any assistance he may need but did not press for further details.